Method and apparatus for making spherical carbon dioxide articles



March 7, 1950 E. A. JOERREN 4 2,499,386

us'mon AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING SPHERICAL CARBON DIOXIDE ARTICLES Filed March 1, 1945 INVNTOR.

Patented Mar. 7, 1950 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING SPHERICAL CARBON DIOXIDE ARTICLES Ernest A. J oerren, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application March 1, 1945, Serial No. 580,459

The present invention relates to a method of and apparatus for making carbon dioxide articles, and is more particularly concerned with the production of solid carbon dioxide articles such as spheres which are adapted to be used as temporary cores for an elastic winding used in manufacturing the body of golf balls and the like.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide carbon dioxide articles of the foreging character in a simple, rapid, efficient, economical and practical manner.

Another object is to provide such articles which have a substantially spherical shape to facilitate applying a winding thereon.

Another object is to provide improved temporary cores for golf balls and the like.

Another object is to provide such temporary cores having means facilitating the starting of the Winding thereon.

Another object is to provide a method of making articles of the foregoing character.

A further object is to provide apparatus for making articles of the foregoing character and for carrying out the method.

Other and further objects of the invention will be obvious upon an understanding of the illustrative embodiment about to be described, or will be indicated in the appended claims, and various advantages not referred to herein will occur to one skilled in the art upon employment of the invention in practice.

In accordance with the invention, the foregoing objects are accomplished by forming carbon dioxide snow, for instance, by shaving carbon dioxide, particles from a block of solid carbon dioxide, and compacting the snow to form an article having a dense ice-like mass by means of a briquetting press or the like.

A preferred embodiment of the invention has been chosen for purposes of illustration and description and is shown in the accompanying drawing, form a part of the specification, wherein:

Figure 1 is an elevational view, partly in section, of apparatus illustrating an embodiment of the invention,

Figure 2 is anenlarged view of an article produced in accordance with the invention; and

Figures 3 and 4 are enlarged, view of articles illustrating modified embodiments of the invention.

Referring more particularly to Figure l of the drawing, there is shown apparatus which generally comprises means I for producing snowlike particles of carbon dioxide, means H for 6 Claims. (Cl. 62-1) compacting the snow to form articles thereof, conveying means I2 for delivering the articles to a point of use, and drive means I 4 for operating the snow-producing means, the compacting means and the conveying means, all being adapted to be mounted on a common base or frame 15. l

The snow producing means illustrated herein comprise an insulated container 20 of generally rectangular cross-section mounted on the base having an opening at the top for the reception of blocks of solid carbon dioxide C and having an outlet 2! at the bottom, and shaving or cutting means 22 disposed in the lower portion of the container above the outlet for producing the snow-like particles from the blocks C.

The shaving or cutting means are in the form of a rotatable wheel or drum 24 having teeth 25 or other suitable means on the periphery thereof adapted to contact the lower surface of a block C and produce snow-like particles and deliver the same to the outlet 2|. The wheel or drum 24 is adapted to be rotated by the drive means at a desired speed through a suitable drive chain 26 meshing with a driving sprocket 21 and a driven sprocket 28 rotatable with the wheel 24 briquetting rolls or drums 40 rotatably mounted on the base and journalled for rotation in opposed directions at a desired speed by the drive means I4 through a drive gear 4| and driven gears 42 associated with each of the rolls. The periphery of each roll is provided with circumferentially spaced recesses or pockets '44 which in the present instance are-substantially hemi-' spherical in shape.

The rolls are so arranged that the respective peripheries thereof contact each other below and in alignment with the outlet 2! to form a trough for receiving the snow-like particles deposited therein by gravity flow. The recesses of each roll are spaced circumferentially and so aligned or synchronized, that the recesses of one of the rolls will cooperate with the recesses of the other roll to form substantially spherical articles of a.

desired compactness and density. The articles are formed by a pair of cooperating recesses at a point in a plane extending through the center of each drum, and are thereafter released from the rolls and dropped therefrom by gravity. 1

An endless conveyor mounted on the base with its upper strand beneath the rolls may constitute the conveying means l2 and is driven by the drive l4 through the drive gear M, speed reduction means (not shown) a driven gear or sprocket 5| meshing with a chain 52 of the conveyor. The conveyor is positioned to receive the articles formed by the compacting means, and for this purpose is provided with receptacles 54 formed of material having a low heat conductivity.

A guide chute 55 is provided for receiving the articles from the rolls and delivering the same to the conveyor.

While for purposes of illustration the conveyor is shown extending to one endof the base or,

frame of the apparatus, it will be understood that the conveyor could be extended to a more remote point where the articles are to be used.

In practicing the method of the invention, one or more commercial blocks C of solid carbon dioxide are placed in the container 20 and the cover 32 is placed overthe top opening of the container with the plate 30 in position to bear downwardly on the blocks C under the influence of the weights 35. The drive means it are then started thereby rotating the shaving drum 24 whereupon snow-like particles of carbon dioxide are produced.

The particles of carbon dioxide or carbon dioxide snow drop through the outlet 2! of the container by gravity or are forced therethrough by subsequently formed particles, and are delivered to the space defined by the upper portions of the drums 40. As the drums rotate in opposite direc: tions with the upper portions thereof movingtowards each other the particles are received by the recesses 44 of the drums. As a pair of cooperating recesses approach each other, a mass of particles is gathered by the'pair of recesses and is compacted when recesses approach the common center-line of the drums 40. Whenthe recesses reach this center-line the particles are fully compacted to produce the desired article of carbon dioxide. Since the drums 40 are adapted to apply several thousand pounds pressure on the mass of particles, the article is compacted tov a dense ice- ]ike mass.

As a pair of cooperating recesses move downwardly past the center-dine the recesses separate and the article formed therein is released and falls on the chute 55 which delivers the article to a receptacle 5.4 of the conveyor. The conveyor is adapted to deliver the article to a location where it is utilized.

An-.article formed in accordance with the present invention is shown in Figure 2, and for purposes of illustration is in the form of a sphere. Such spheres are adapted to be used as temporary cores for an elastic winding of a golf ball.

In order to facilitate starting the elastic winding, the sphere may be provided with grooves or projections for receiving a strand of the winding.

with a series of projections 8| arranged on the surface to facilitate starting the winding.

In order to form the spheres with grooves 80 or pro'ections 6|, the recesses 44 of the drums 40 are provided with corresponding projections or grooves adapted to form the grooves 60 or projections 6| simultaneously during the compacting of the article.

While the present invention has been described in connection with spheres for golf ball windings, it will be understood that the advantageous features thereof may be employed for producing articles of carbon dioxide to be used for other purposes, particularly where such articles are required to be of a predetermined size. shape or weight.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that the present invention provides a simple, practical, rapid and reliable apparatus for and method of producing articles of carbon dioxide having, predetermined shapes, sizes or weights which are adapted for many uses. The apparatus is rugged in construction and can readily withstand continuous use without impairment thereof.

As various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts herein, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and without sacrificing any of its advantages, it is to be understood that all matter herein is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in any limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all the generic and specific features of the invention herein described, and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

I claim:

1. The method of forming substantially spherical articles of carbon dioxide; snow, which method comprises shaving solid carbon dioxide to produce snow, and collecting and compacting the carbon dioxide snow to form a substantially spherical article having a dense ice-like mass and simultaneously providing surface formations on the article adapted to facilitate placing a winding thereon.

2. In apparatus for forming solid carbon dioxide spheres, the combination of means for shaving solid carbon dioxide to produce carbon dioxide snow, and means for directly receiving and compacting the snow to form spheres hav vided with aseries of cooperating hemispherical recesses for receiving snow and compacting the snow to form spheres thereof having a dense ice-like mass.

As shown in Figure 3, the sphere is provided 4. In apparatus for forming solid carbon di-' oxide spheres the combination of means for shaving solid carbon dioxide to produce snow including a delivery means opening, and a pairof briquetting rolls having adjacent surfaces beneath said delivery means opening each provided with a series of cooperating hemispherical recesses for receiving snow and compacting the snow to form hemispherical recesses for receiving snow and compacting the snow to form spheres thereof having a dense ice-like mass, said recesses having means for providing surface formations on the spheres adapted to facilitate placing a winding thereon.

5. In apparatus for forming carbon dioxide articles, the combination of a container having an opening at the top for receiving blocks of solid carbon dioxide and having an outlet at the bottom, means in the bottom of said container for supporting a block thereon and shaving the same to provide carbon dioxide snow said means being positioned to deliver the snow to said outlet, and a pair of briquetting rolls directly beneath said outlet each having cooperating recesses for receiving the snow and compacting the same to form articles having a dense ice-like mass.

6. In apparatus for forming carbon dioxide articles, the combination of a container having an opening at the top for receiving blocks of solid carbon dioxide and having an outlet at the bottom, a rotatable drum having cutting edges in the bottom of said container for supporting a block thereon and shaving the same to provide carbon dioxide snow, said drum being positioned to deliver the snow to said outlet, and a pair of briquetting rolls directly .beneath said outlet each having cooperating recesses for receiving the snow and compacting the same to form articles having a. dense ice-like mass.

ERNEST A. JOERREN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 607,765 Rankin July 19, 1898 712,610 Spear Nov. 4, 1902 726,471 Smith Apr. 28, 1903 1,409,989 Woods Mar. 21, 1922 1,534,104 Gammeter Apr. 21, 1925 1,893,850 Sullivan Jan. 10, 1933 1,916,306 Fisher July 14, 1933 1,937,174 Taylor Nov. 28 1933 1,982,842 Taylor Dec. 4, 1934 2,005,558 Post June 18, 1935 2,011,550 I-Iasche Aug. 13, 1935 2,070,368 Martin Feb. 9, 1937 2,073,700 Keilholtz Mar. 16, 1937 2,081,001 Coscia May 118, 1937 2,127,350 Kobold Aug. 16, 1938 2,200,577 Lozon May 14, 1940 2,229,170 Greene Jan. 21, 1941 2,307,013 Batzle Jan. 5,,1943

FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date Great Britain Apr. 1, 1910 

3. IN APPARATUS FOR FORMING SOLID CARBON DIOXIDE SPHERED THE COMBINATION OF MEANS FOR SHAVING SOLID CARBON DIOXIDE TO PRODUCE SNOW INCLUDING A DELIVERY MEANS OPENING, AND A PAIR OF BRIQUETTING ROLLS HAVING ADJACENT SURFACES BENEATH SAID DELIVERY MEANS OPENING EACH PRO- 